Appliance for treatment of spinal affections.



J. W. BATTERSHALL. APPLIANCE FOR TREATMENT OF SPINAL AFPEGTIONS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1909.

Patented Sept 20, 1910,

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J. W BATTERSHALL. APPLIANCE FOR TREATMENT OF SPINAL AFFEGTIONS.

APPLICATION EILEDNQV; ,1, 1909.

Patented Sept;2 0, 1910.

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JOSEPH W. BATTERSHALL, 0F ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPLIANCE FQR'TREATMENT' 0F SPINAL AFFECTIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept 20, 191() Application filed November 1, 1909. Serial No. 525,748.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. BATTER- SHALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Appliances for Treatment of Spinal Affections, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of appliances used in the treatment of spinal affections and pertains more particularly to braces or corsets used in the treatment of scoliosis or rotary lateral curvature of the spine. Many forms of corsets have been de vised for this purpose, but generally they have had the same vital defect, which is that the pressure produced by them is chiefly lateral, and is equally as great upon the depressed portions of the o projecting parts, and thus all fail in correcting the rotation of the vertebrae. In correcting rotation of the vertebrae the pressure must be so directed as to rotate the vertebrae in a general direction around the longitudinal axis to restore the vertebrae to a normal structure. Mere lateral pressure against the ribs tends to increase rather than decrease the angular deformity of the ribs, by pushing inwardly upon the curving or twistin bones as well as upon those not aflecte The object of my invention is to bring the pressure upon the projecting parts only, in such a way that it untwists or rotates the vertebrae back to their normal osition and thus straightens the spine, W ile holding the unaffected part of the body in position to permit such untwisting.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for regulating the pressure upon any particular part of the body as desired, by providing a structure which is easily conformable to the unnatural shape of an aflected body.

A further object is found in providing a device of this character which will relieve the spine of the weight of the upper parts dy as upon the proved corset, looking toward the front of the appliance. Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view, and Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the adjustable crutch member.

Referring more particularly to said drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts tlirotwliout, 1 indicates a belt-like member or gir le, said girdle consisting of a substantially oval-shaped steel band 2, which ma or may not be leather covered, and a pa ding 3 which is secured to the inside of said band 2 and overlaps its top and bottom edges in liberal folds in order to afford a comfortable encircling of the body. Said adding 3 is formed of any suitable materia, but is preferably a leather casing having a substantial packing. Said girdle is separated, as at a, and is provided with a strap and buckle, whereby to strap the girdle around the body of a patient or wearer. Said girdle 1 encircles the body at points below the largest part of the hips and substantially across the pelvis, and has rising therefrom a plurality of uprights or supporting rods 4 and 4. Said rods 4 and 4 are secured to the steel band 2 by any suitable means, as rivets, bolts or screws, and are formed of stiff spring steel, so that they may be initially conformed to any desired shape, and will afterward maintain that shape with a certain amount of resilience. Said uprights or rods 4 and 4' are mounted on the girdle 1 in any suitable or necessary number and in any desired relation. In the appliance illustrated, the rods are four in number, the two rods 4; being placed substantially in the central front portion of the girdle, and extend upwardly to a height of a line across the mlddle of the chest. A series of horizontal metallic straps or braces 5 formed of material similar to that used in the construction of upright rods 4:, are secured in spaced relation across the outside of said rods 1 and 1 and are extended variously across two or more of said rods, as needs require. For instance, the preferred embodiment shown, two straps extend around all four of the upright rods 4 and 4., while strap 5 is located between the strap 5' and only embraces the rods 4 and one of the front uprights 4.

Secured to the upper end of the right hand one of the front rods 4 and extending to one side thereof, is an arcuate spring plate 6, said late forming a rigid structure with said ro 4' and extending in a direc- Secured, as by rivets, to the upper end of the rod 4, or that portion which extends above the upper strap5 is a triangular web or pad 7, said web having its lower side similarly fastened to said upper strap 5 and forming a securing means for a series of straps 8, which adjustably hold in position a back and shoulder pad 9 by means of the buckles 10 secured thereon, as by sewing or riveting. Said pad 9 consists of a flexible padded element, preferably formed of soft leather, and conformed to embrace the upper portion of one side of the back and the right shoulder. A shoulder strap 11,- is formed on the upper edge of said pad 9 and extends over the shoulder and is fastened, as by a buckle and strap to the extended spring plate 6. I The free vertical edge of the spring plate 6 is provided with a plurality of straps 12 which are attachable to buckles 13 carried by said pad 9 to adjustably set said pad 9 and to form a means of entering the corset. Other pads as 14 and 15, are suitably disposed to protect the body at the points where the corset acts to straighten the body. Pad 14 consists of a rectangular leather cushion fastened between uprights 4 and 4 and having a secondary pad 16, secured leaf-fashion to one edge thereof as additional cushioning element. Said pad 14 relieves the pressure of said rods 4 and 4 .on the front of the body, as the latter cooperate with the spring plate 6 to twist the distorted body of the patient. A brace rod 17 extending between rod 4 and the plate 6 strengthens and stiffens the plate 6' to increase the twisting pressure of the latter.

' The pad 15 is a cushioned element, similar in structure to pad 14, and extending across one side of the appliance to protect the body of the patient from the side rod 4 and to exert a straightening pressure on the patients side.

Said pad 15 is secured, as by rivets to the horizontal strap 5, as desired, the present embodiment, showing it secured to strap 5 and lower strap 5. I,

Mounted on the upper end of the side rod 4,- is a crutch member 18, which is adapted to support the patientsshoulder and upper part of the body, and relieve the spine therefrom. Said crutch member 18 has a stem 19 provided with a plurality of apertures 19 by means of which the crutch may be adjustably bolted to the rod 4.

From the above exposition, it is evident that an appliance has been provided comprising essentially a metallic spring frame provided, as needed, with suitably disposed pads said frame being adjustable by shaping the malleable spring frame to the pa tients body,- and the pads being also capable of being positioned as desired or needed to bear on the projecting parts of the body and to relieve the depressed parts. It is also evident that the spring members act to twistingly rotate the body and consequently the spine as well as to bear laterally upon the spine and body parts. I

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A curvature appliance, comprising, in combination, a girdle, a plurality of uprights disposed around said girdle, a spring pressure plate, an integral back pad and shoulder straps adjustably carried by the upper ends of saiduprights and a crutch member to support the body off of the spine.

2. A curvature appliance, comprising, in combination, a girdle, a plurality of resilient uprights carried by said girdle, a laterally projected spring plate secured to a front upright, a crutch member adjustably secured to a side upright, a back pad carried by one of said uprights and having a shoulder strap adapted to be attached to said spring plate, and a plurality of pressure pads carried inside said uprights. o

8. A curvature appliance, comprising, in combination, a girdle, a plurality of up rights carriedby said girdle, a series of cross straps carried by some of said uprights, a laterally projected spring plate adapted to cooperate with said straps to twist the patients body, a back pad vertically hinged at the back of the appliance, and having adjustabl'e attaching devices along its opposite edge, a shoulder strap integral with said pad and adapted to be secured to saidspring plate, and pressure pads disposed inside said uprights.

4. A curvature appliance, comprising, in combination, a girdle, a plurality of uprights disposed around said girdle, a plu ral'ity of cross straps secured near the upper ends of said uprights, a laterally projected spring plate secured to the upper end of one of the front uprights, an adjustable crutch member secured to the upper end of one upright, a back pad secured to the back of the appliance by a plurality of adjusting straps, a shoulder strap carried by said pad and adapted to be secured to said spring plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

V J. W. BATTERSHALL.

Witnesses:

ADA E HAGERTY, !T. A. MILLER. a 

